1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a remote control and signaling system, and more particularly to a system adapted to allow an apparatus to be operationally controlled by use of a remote signal transmitter.
2. Discussion
Remote control and signaling systems are used in a wide variety of applications requiring the remote operational control of an apparatus, such as a television or a video cassette recorder. Normally these systems employ a transmitter, remotely positioned from the apparatus, and adapted to selectively transmit one or more first control signals. These prior systems further employ a receiver, physically coupled to the apparatus and adapted to receive the transmitted control signals. In response to the received control signals, the receiver is adapted to generate and transmit one or more second control signals to the controlled apparatus. These second control signals are effective to operationally control the apparatus, in accordance with the specifications included within the first control signals. Examples of these operational controls may include activation, deactivation, channel selection, volume adjustment, or operating mode (i.e., record/play).
While these prior systems have adequately allowed for the operational control of a wide variety of apparatus, the transmitters have normally been adapted to generate relatively low power and low frequency first control signals, requiring the transmitter to be in a "line of sight" relationship with the receiver. Absent this line of sight relationship, the first control signals are absorbed or reflected by objects positioned between the transmitter and the receiver, and are thereby prevented from being properly received by the receiver. This has required a user to physically move in very close proximity to the apparatus, in order to allow this operational control to be achieved. This is very inconvenient, especially when the user is lying or resting on a coach or is in a separate room from the receiver or apparatus.
Moreover, even if a line of sight relationship exists between the transmitter and receiver, the transmitted first control signals could fail to reach the receiver if the distance between the transmitter and receiver is too great, thus further annoying the user and adding to the effort required to control the apparatus. Additionally, there has been a great proliferation in the number and types of different remote signaling and control systems which are in use. This proliferation has resulted in the need for a user to employ a great number of different transmitters in order to control the variety of apparatus found in a normal home. This requires a user to store a great number of transmitters and to remember which of the individual transmitters correlates to or is associated with an individual apparatus that is presently desired to be controlled. This proliferation has been found to be very inefficient, cumbersome, and undesirable due to the likelihood of transmitter misplacement as well as to the unsightliness of a multitude of transmitters placed at various locations within a room. Moreover, should a user forget which of the transmitters corresponds to a given apparatus to be controlled, each of the multitude of transmitters must be separately tested to determine the identity of the desired transmitter.